Latest news with #GuyGratton
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mirror
NASA tests new supersonic plane with revolutionary tech that solves Concorde's fatal flaw
NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft has officially begun taxi tests, marking the first time this one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft has moved under its own power NASA is testing a new aircraft that could pave the way for a new era of supersonic air travel by addressing an issue at the heart of Concorde's commercial failure. The dream of a 'son of Concorde ' capable of whisking passengers from New York to London in under four hours is edging closer to reality. NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft has officially begun taxi tests, a significant milestone as this unique experimental plane moves under its own power for the first time. On 10 July, NASA test pilot Nils Larson, alongside the X-59 team comprising NASA and Lockheed Martin staff, carried out the craft's inaugural low-speed taxi test at the U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. This taxiing phase signals the final ground test sequence before the X-59's maiden flight. In the upcoming weeks, the aircraft will incrementally boost its speed, culminating in a high-speed taxi test that will bring it tantalisingly close to lift-off. During these initial low-speed trials, engineering and flight teams observed the X-59's performance on the tarmac, ensuring essential systems like steering and braking are operating correctly. These evaluations are crucial for confirming the aircraft's stability and control under various scenarios, instilling confidence in pilots and engineers that all systems are functioning optimally. At the heart of NASA's Quesst mission, the X-59 aims to revolutionise quiet supersonic travel by transforming the traditionally loud sonic boom into a more subdued "thump." This is considered key to the commercial success of any supersonic air travel. Crashing through the sound barrier causes a huge bang that has big consequences for those on the ground. During a 1965 test of the original Concorde over Oklahoma city by the US Air Force, hundreds of reports of smashed windows were made. The potential to cause this kind of disruption meant that Concorde could only fly certain routes at supersonic, meaning no high-speed flights over land. This crushed the business case for the aircraft in the US as cities such as Los Angeles and New York could not be linked up effectively. Guy Gratton, associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, told the Mirror how NASA's new 'quiet' tech is causing is a huge amount of excitement in the industry. "From what I've been able to read, it does work. As a supersonic aircraft flies, every leading part of the aircraft creates a shockwave, and that shockwave creates a sonic boom. The NASA tech has shaped the aircraft so as the shockwaves move away from the plane in flight, they interact with each other and cancel each other out," he explained. The X-59 is expected to reach speeds of Mach 1.5, or roughly 990 mph (1,590 km/h), which could potentially cut the London to New York flight time down to approximately 3 hours and 44 minutes - a significant reduction from the usual 7-8 hour journey. In 2023, NASA explored the feasibility of supersonic passenger air travel on aircraft capable of reaching speeds between Mach 2 and Mach 4 (1,535-3,045 mph). Information collected from the X-59 will be shared with U.S. and international regulators to help establish new, data-driven noise standards for supersonic commercial flights over land.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
A thunderstorm caused turbulence so bad that it injured 8 people, and passengers were put on a bus to their final destination
Eight people were injured after a Ryanair flight encountered severe turbulence and diverted. A thunderstorm saw the roofs ripped off houses in a nearby town, local media reported. Ryanair passengers traveled the remaining 230 miles to Milan by bus. Eight people on board a Ryanair flight were injured after experiencing severe turbulence due to a thunderstorm, German police said on Thursday. Wednesday's flight took off from Berlin at 7:38 p.m. local time, destined for Milan's Malpensa airport. Data from Flightradar24 shows that just under an hour later, near Munich, it started to divert from the usual route after encountering turbulence. Local police said that weather conditions prevented the Boeing 737 from landing in Munich, so it had to continue on to the smaller Bavarian town of Memmingen. The German news agency dpa reported that strong winds tore the roofs off some houses in the area. The Ryanair plane, carrying 179 passengers and 6 crew members, landed safely at 8:44 p.m. The airline said the captain called ahead for medical assistance. Three people were taken to the hospital, according to the Bavarian police. In a statement, it said a 59-year-old woman complained of back pain, another woman sustained a head laceration, and her 2-year-old toddler suffered bruises. "As a precaution, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services," it added. The ordeal wasn't over yet, as the local aviation authority didn't approve a connecting flight. Instead, Ryanair arranged for bus companies to transport the passengers to Milan, according to the police statement. That journey would be over 230 miles and take around four-and-a-half hours. "To get passengers to their final destination as quickly as possible, we arranged for alternative transport from Memmingen to Milan that night, as well as a replacement flight [Thursday] morning," the airline said in a statement. "We sincerely apologise to passengers affected by this diversion," it added. The 15-year-old plane, registered as EI-EKN, has resumed regular service, per Flightradar24 data. Concerns around turbulence have come into focus in the airline industry since 79 people were injured and one man died on a Singapore Airlines flight last May. Two weeks later, at an industry conference, Emirates' president said the incident would likely lead to stricter seatbelt rules. Turbulence is getting more common due to the climate crisis, Guy Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, previously told Business Insider. Warmer temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, increasing the likelihood and intensity of thunderstorms. The warming atmosphere is also speeding up the jet streams, which exacerbates clear-air turbulence — the type encountered in the Singapore Airlines incident. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
05-06-2025
- Business Insider
A thunderstorm caused turbulence so bad that it injured 8 people, and passengers put on a bus to their final destination
Eight people on board a Ryanair flight were injured after experiencing severe turbulence due to a thunderstorm, German police said on Thursday. Wednesday's flight took off from Berlin at 7:38 p.m. local time, destined for Milan's Malpensa airport. Data from Flightradar24 shows that just under an hour later, near Munich, it started to divert from the usual route after encountering turbulence. Local police said that weather conditions prevented the Boeing 737 from landing in Munich, so it had to continue on to the smaller Bavarian town of Memmingen. The Ryanair plane, carrying 179 passengers and 6 crew members, landed safely at 8:44 p.m. The airline said the captain called ahead for medical assistance. Three people were taken to the hospital, according to the Bavarian police. In a statement, it said a 59-year-old woman complained of back pain, another woman sustained a head laceration, and her 2-year-old toddler suffered bruises. "As a precaution, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services," it added. The ordeal wasn't over yet, as the local aviation authority didn't approve a connecting flight. Instead, Ryanair arranged for bus companies to transport the passengers to Milan, according to the police statement. That journey would be over 230 miles and take around four-and-a-half hours. "To get passengers to their final destination as quickly as possible, we arranged for alternative transport from Memmingen to Milan that night, as well as a replacement flight [Thursday] morning," the airline said in a statement. "We sincerely apologise to passengers affected by this diversion," it added. The 15-year-old plane, registered as EI-EKN, has resumed regular service, per Flightradar24 data. Concerns around turbulence have come into focus in the airline industry since 79 people were injured and one man died on a Singapore Airlines flight last May. Two weeks later, at an industry conference, Emirates' president said the incident would likely lead to stricter seatbelt rules. Turbulence is getting more common due to the climate crisis, Guy Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, previously told Business Insider. Warmer temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, increasing the likelihood and intensity of thunderstorms. The warming atmosphere is also speeding up the jet streams, which exacerbates clear-air turbulence — the type encountered in the Singapore Airlines incident.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
4 cabin crew and a passenger were injured when their United Airlines flight was hit by severe turbulence
A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Singapore encountered severe turbulence last month. Four crew members and one passenger were hurt, with one crew sustaining serious injuries. Turbulence is becoming stronger and more common due to the climate crisis, experts say. Five people were injured when a United Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence last month. The incident emerged after the Federal Aviation Administration filed a report about it on Tuesday. United Airlines Flight 1 travelled from San Francisco to Singapore on March 26 — a 16-hour redeye flight. It was in the Philippines' airspace, about 12 hours from San Francisco, when the incident occurred. According to the FAA's report, the Boeing 787 was carrying 174 passengers and 14 crew members when it encountered severe turbulence. One passenger and three cabin crew members sustained minor injuries, while one cabin crew member was seriously injured. It isn't yet clear precisely what type of injuries they sustained. An airline spokesperson told Business Insider that the flight "experienced a brief period of unexpected turbulence." "Medical personnel met the aircraft upon arrival in Singapore and transported one customer and four flight attendants to the hospital," they added. "We're grateful to our crew for their efforts to ensure the safety of fellow crew members and our customers." The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation along with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. The risks of turbulence have come under more scrutiny since an incident last May when a Singapore Airlines passenger died. Another 71 people were injured. Korean Air has announced it will stop serving instant noodles in a bid to prevent burn accidents caused by turbulence. It said turbulence had "become a persistent and growing problem in recent years," adding that the number of incidents had doubled between 2024 and 2019. The airline also suggested climate change had had an impact, citing "large temperature differences between altitudes." Turbulence is created when differences in wind speed result in more friction between air molecules. The warming climate imparts more energy into the air, which creates more friction. This is especially notable around the jet streams, where clear-air turbulence is most prevalent. "Climate change is making encounters with clear air turbulence more likely and more severe," Guy Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, previously told BI. In a 2023 study, researchers from the University of Reading found turbulence was getting more common over the North Atlantic, around the north polar jet stream. At a typical point, the most severe type of clear-air turbulence increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020, the study found. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
24-04-2025
- Business Insider
4 cabin crew and a passenger were injured when their United Airlines flight was hit by severe turbulence
Five people were injured when a United Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence last month. The incident emerged after the Federal Aviation Administration filed a report about it on Tuesday. United Airlines Flight 1 travelled from San Francisco to Singapore on March 26 — a 16-hour redeye flight. It was in the Philippines' airspace, about 12 hours from San Francisco, when the incident occurred. According to the FAA's report, the Boeing 787 was carrying 174 passengers and 14 crew members when it encountered severe turbulence. One passenger and three cabin crew members sustained minor injuries, while one cabin crew member was seriously injured. It isn't yet clear precisely what type of injuries they sustained. United and the FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The risks of turbulence have come under more scrutiny since an incident last May when a Singapore Airlines passenger died. Another 71 people were injured. Korean Air has announced it will stop serving instant noodles in a bid to prevent burn accidents caused by turbulence. It said turbulence had "become a persistent and growing problem in recent years," adding that the number of incidents had doubled between 2024 and 2019. The airline also suggested climate change had had an impact, citing "large temperature differences between altitudes." Turbulence is created when differences in wind speed result in more friction between air molecules. The warming climate imparts more energy into the air, which creates more friction. This is especially notable around the jet streams, where clear-air turbulence is most prevalent. "Climate change is making encounters with clear air turbulence more likely and more severe," Guy Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, previously told BI. In a 2023 study, researchers from the University of Reading found turbulence was getting more common over the North Atlantic, around the north polar jet stream. At a typical point, the most severe type of clear-air turbulence increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020, the study found.
